Tourism is an important tool in fueling local economies, but as U.S. consumers become more mindful about how they spend their dollars – and want their dollars to stretch as far as possible – the travel industry has had to think of new ways to attract those looking for a unique vacation. The travel industry has found that partnering with other industries has been key in encouraging consumers to explore new locations and learn about various trades.

Many markets such as food, medicine and agriculture have been successful in attracting tourists. The International Kitchen, based in Chicago, says it originated the concept of cooking school vacations, and offers trips to Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and the Caribbean. California-based Cultural Crossroads offers trips to Italy, France, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Spain, Russia and Guatemala, and in addition to culinary education, tourists learn a number of crafts, such as basket making, carpet weaving, and silk and furniture making, as well as local customs through dance and music.

The Medical Tourism Association (MTA) works with international hospitals, insurance companies, healthcare organizations and tourism firms to promote high-quality care to international patients. Medical tourists look to international markets to undergo high-quality and affordable medical procedures, such as heart bypass, spinal fusion, hip replacement, gastric bypass, laparoscopic surgeries, transplants and cancer procedures, while being able to recuperate in resort-like settings. The MTA says this practice has driven global travel and improved the quality of the worldwide medical community. Popular destinations in this sector are Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, India, Malaysia, South Africa and Thailand.

To help farmers diversify their operations and encourage consumers to understand the importance of locally grown food, Purdue University offers its Indiana Farm Sustainability Tour each year. This program has sections on value-added processing, extending the season of production for local foods, e-marketing, woodland products and direct marketing to consumers. Purdue also works with chefs to connect them to local food sources.

There are a number of “farm holidays” to be found worldwide, including areas such as Bolivia, Cambodia, Greece and Sri Lanka, but U.S. tourists do not have to travel far to gain experience at a working farm or ranch. Magnolia Farms in Florida offers classes on soap making, growing shitake mushrooms, a tour of its “Goat Mountain” and a number of campsites. Indiana’s Fair Oaks Dairy Farm treats visitors to a “dairy adventure” that includes a 3-D movie, a trip to the birthing barn and cheese plant, and a bus tour through the operating dairy.

Other industries could benefit from this tourism trend. It would be cool to see an amusement park with a manufacturing theme or a construction industry boot camp. NASA and the aerospace industry offer vacation opportunities with Space Camp, and other businesses should give something similar a shot.